DECEMBER 2007/JANUARY 2008 $25.00 81/2 Y,X6?(L) IN COMMUNICATIONS FOUNDATION AIL AGREEMENT #4002 CANADA'S LEADING DESIGNER, SUPPLIER AND INTEGRATOR OF HIGH - END BROADCAST, POST PRODUCTION AND AUDIO VISUAL TECHNOLOGY s Your Complete Technology Partner Applied Electronics Limited Applied Electronics is Canada's leading provider of broadcast systems and integration services. We offer a complete range of products for the Canadian broadcasting, production and post production industries. We supply and support the latest technology offerings for master control, studio and post production, digital news production and mobile broadcasting. Applied Electronics has unmatched expertise in time sensitive projects such as turnkey Olympic broadcast centres where on -time and on -budget delivery is assured. JJtN. Authorized Abekas Reseller Autocue AVITECH tware BR GHT CHkISTIE 7igitaNision GRASS YALLEY, CALIFORNIA MFG i SUPPLY- Canon Q FRONTLINE Lia FRONT PORCH DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS Truck eeg EyE1lEigllt An o,NAo,n coroo,.u^ I N O N ' valley inscriber G /rass /i t RIS. ISILON Ikegami R2TNOMSON BRAND J etaiL.modulation Marshall Electronics wlanoae BROADCAST MULTIMEDIA DIVISION (Digital Video Solutions.. Mo. OMN2BIJS Panasonic Pixelmetrix Q77/ NL eemm Innovate l Integrate 'Deliver )1:l AID ideas for life aaoMNr SIGNIANT 4suyl STUDER lèktronix TELESTREAM SGT SHARP STORAGETEK ultimaPtten RRD1aMEG 41 TELEX. (vlzrt) 03licon WEATNERCENTRAL W Wohler PLEr',1.;_ rr._)1J rr.rr lJ ! r_rr.! Ï' ;yRESENTATI^!_ VANC0,- t EDMONTON CALGARY TORONTO MONTREAL 7715 boul, Henri-Bourassa ouest 8573 Commerce Court 11442 Winterhurn Rd. (215 St.) 3,1815 -27th Ave. N.E. 51708 Timberlea Blvd. St -Laurent, QC, H4S 1 P7 Burnaby, BC, V5A 4N5 Edmonton, AB, T55 2Y3 Calgary, AB,T2E 7E1 Mississauga, ON, L4W 255 (604) 439-7228 (780) 462-8275 (403) 291-5143 (905) 625-4321 (514) 333-3324 Fax: (403) 291-5188 Fax: (905) 625-4333 Fax: (514) 333-1512 Fax: (604) 439-7210 [email protected]: (780) 462-8238 www.appliedelectronics.com CONTENTS COVER STORY 2008 SUPPLYGUIDE 15 ASSOCIATIONS / PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS 15 CONSULTANTS 19 CONSULTANTS-Technical 23 DISTRIBUTORS / SYNDICATORS 26 EDUCATION 29 GOVERNMENT 30 MANUFACTURERS AND SUPPLIERS 31 RESEARCH AND INFORMATION SERVICES 50 STATION REPRESENTATIVES 52 FEATURE ARTICLES ROGERS SPORTSNET: NEW HD PRODUCTION STUDIO Scott Lehane 6 BD WAS THERE: PICTURES FROM THE WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF BROADCAST ENGINEERS CONVENTION 12 LAUNCHES AND MAKEOVERS 55 REVOLVING DOOR 59 PROGRAMMING MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK... RADIO STYLE Bob Wallace 5 ENGINEERING Do you hear what I hear? STRANGE RADIO STORIES OF YORE Maureen Bulley 54 Dan Roach 62 PPM: Seeing through the hype COLUMNS Jeff Vidler 57 A politically incorrect greeting Turning data into information - PPM's real value Wayne Ens 53 Gary Belgrave 58 If you're not getting your own free copy of Broadcast Dialogue magazine, send a note to [email protected] and ask to be put on the list. BROADCAST DIALOGUE-The Voice of Broadcasting in Canada DECEMBER 2007/JANUARY 2008 3 PUBLISHER'S NOTE Dialogue There are going to be moments over the course of the next year when you'll need to make contact with somebody in the HOWARD CHRISTENSEN, Publisher business of supplying broadcast companies, be they manu- ([email protected]) facturers or re -sellers, to engineering or programming consul- BARRY HAMELIN, Executive Editor tants. Chances are they're listed in this 2008 SupplyGuide so ([email protected]) tuck it away for easy reference. JANE INGLIS, Sales Director +88+8 ([email protected]) The television future is HD, no question, and sports has SUSAN WAHAY, Art Director shown the way. That reality came despite the people who (su@broadcastdialogue. cam) once said the driving force would be movies. But it's been the money (read sports) INGRID CHRISTENSEN, Circulation blasting the financial trail. Be sure to read Rogers Sportsnet: New HD Production Studio ([email protected]) beginning on Page 6. Feature Columnists: GARY BELGRAVE I'm not so sure of my Christian faith as we approach Christmas. What I am sure of, MAUREEN BULLEY in an era described as society's most insensitive moment in history, is that I still believe WAYNE ENS in "Good will towards men". A family virtue, perhaps, handed down from parents JEFF VIDLER whose values-and the need to live them-were as much a part of their lives as the worldly things that have become a part of mine. Broadcast Dialogue, a controlled - for me magic kindnesses, and, indeed, sensi- circulation magazine, is published And yet, the of smiles, brotherhood of tivity makes this time of the year so very special. 10 times a year by Christensen Communications Ltd. The contents It's a breath of fresh air in a world seemingly gone mad. of Broadcast Dialogue may not be reproduced in whole or in part without Because it is, I join my colleagues at Broadcast Dialogue in wishing you the very mer- written consent of the publisher. riest of Christmases. Have a wonderful 2008. Head Office Tel: (705) 484-0752 Web: broadcastdialogue.com PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40027710 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: Broadcast Dialogue 18 Turtle Path Lagoon City ON LOK 1130 Email: [email protected] ISSN # 1480-9443 We invite story submissions. E-mail: [email protected] We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program toward our mailing costs. PAP Registration No. 10829 4 BROADCAST DIALOGUE-The Voice of Broadcasting in Canada DECEMBER 2007/JANUARY 2008 PROGRAMMING More bang for the buck... radio style BY BOB WALLACE Ithought I'd put down the bio that I'm We made sure all angles were covered reading about "Stompin" Tom Connors the day of the event, everything from invit- for a moment and talk about the enter- ing the mayor to the "launch" as well as tainment value in our medium. He was the fire department to hoist yours truly to only talking about how radio would never the roof in the rescue basket. We even had play his music anyway. a piper play as the fire ladder got higher I recently had a chat with a colleague and higher. about music. The conversation took differ- The response was great, from the ent twists and turns from local music, to launch on the roof to my last few hours local on -air content and proper promotion. before coming down. Throughout the 24 Then we hit on the entertainment value in hours I was supported by the entire com- radio. I applaud stations that take the time munity as listeners stopped by to make to think up creative and novel ways to make donations and bring me all kinds of food. their station stand out; the different ap- Even people who didn't know what was proaches they take to induce interest even happening saw me on the roof with my during those dreaded voice -tracked hours. tent and were curious enough to stop by How is your station taking measures to and find out what was going on. Carloads ensure your audience is entertained and of people rolling past with the kids point- tries to induce an attitude of "I can't miss a ing and laughing! single moment" in your station's broadcast day? All for a good cause. I had the pleasure of working at a Belleville radio station In the end, it did raise a good amount of money. Local where our sister station's morning team could take what some restaurants and other businesses got involved. We even had 100 may say was simple local content and turn it into an event. I kids who were staying at a local campground call in with remember one morning in particular they took a news story pledges and words of encouragement, which made for great about new local bylaws regarding swimming pools and fences audio. We were on the air until midnight by which time I could and developed an entire morning show around it where the three barely form cohesive sentences, and then back on again at 6 of them spent the morning crammed in a kiddie pool outside a.m. of the station. They were visited by the city bylaw officer as well We also broadcast the event online so people could watch as various listeners who drove by to see if they really were in the from wherever they were. (Note to self: make sure the camera pool. There are countless hard working shows that try to nail is pointing at MY FACE next time, not elsewhere.) We even took the next break to be better, thought provoking and entertain- a call from a service person overseas watching online calling to ing. Bravo! wish us good luck. Everyone wanted to get onside, induding In Owen Sound we were recently approached by a charitable some local politicians who told us they wanted to come up and organization to come up with an idea to raise money for their camp with me next time. (Do you think it was an election year?) annual Send a Kid to Camp fund. We came up with the idea of Months later, it's still a topic of discussion in the commu- putting me on the radio station roof, camping for 24 hours. That nity. The objective and lesson I keep learning here is that enter- was the birth of The MIX 106 24 Hour Roof Top Campout. We tainment builds loyalty, and interest. Next time, though, I'm planned an attack; weeks of teasing the listener with manage- bringing more smores! ment saying they had "big plans" for me to help this charity but to stay tuned to find out. The campaign seemed to work as we Bob Wallace is Morning Co -Host (along with wife Diana Meder) and were approached on the street by listeners trying to guess what Music Director at MIX 106 (CIXK-FM) Owen Sound.